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Celebrate Your Strength This International Women’s Day With 12 Uplifting Workouts

Tonal’s female coaches pick out their favorite workouts for physical, mental, and emotional strength.

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This year, to celebrate International Women’s Day, we sat down with our coaches to learn what inspires them. In this article, Coaches Allison, Gabby, Nicolette, Natalie, Frances, and Liz share how they hope to embrace this year’s #ChooseToChallenge theme, how they lift women around them all year long, and what makes them feel strong and confident.

They’ve picked out their favorite workouts for physical, mental, and emotional strength and for when you want to have some fun. You’ll find all these workouts highlighted on Tonal’s spotlight row throughout March.

Read on to learn how our coaches channel and celebrate their inner and outer strength.

Coach Allison

a black and white image of a woman running her hand through her hair

It can be so easy to allow the world, social media, other people, and everything else in between to define who we are. I #ChooseToChallenge the boxes that other people have tried to put me in and redefine what success, happiness, and well-being look like.

Give yourself permission to be unapologetically authentic because that is our real superpower. 

Coach Allison

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you:

I spent most of my younger years feeling lost and riddled with low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. At my lowest point, I turned to fitness to help me feel physically strong, and from there, it helped me find mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. Now, as a coach and trainer, I try my best to help others find their strength and empower them to step into greatness so they can live healthier and happier lives. 

Here are two Tonal workouts that make Coach Allison feel strong: 

  • Glute Gains: This workout focuses on our glutes, a major source of power for movement. It is the largest muscle group in our body, and the workout is meant to challenge your body and mind. Growing up, I was always a bit insecure about my curves, and as I got older, I realized that I should embrace my body and celebrate it.
  • Your Best Self Meditation: Strength isn’t only about how much you can lift. It’s also about mental strength. Life can throw you a curveball, and while we can’t control what happens to us, we can challenge ourselves to show up as the best version of ourselves. This meditation helps to tap in and get clarity of who you want to be and helps you show up for yourself! 

Coach Gabby

a black and white image of a woman looking down and smiling

#ChooseToChallenge is a conscious choice to expand myself and others physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have a deep passion for challenging others to reach their maximum potential, and we’re not stopping until we get there! Through challenges, we offer ourselves moments of vulnerability, which is when true strength is built. 

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you: 

The awareness of yes you can and yes you will. I truly believe there is so much power in each of us. It’s just a matter of acknowledging and owning it. I can feel my power in my fingertips, and I am inspired to keep driving the same awareness of this beautiful power to all women near and far. You’ve got it all, girlfriend! Shine on!

Here are two workouts that make Coach Gabby feel strong: 

  • The Power of Yes: The name says it all! This 30-minute Upper Body High Intensity workout will have you breaking through boundaries by harnessing the power of positivity. This workout will benefit you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
  • Barre Burn: This core-centric barre workout is all about grace with strength, all while keeping that chest lifted high and your eyes on the prize! Get ready for an epic burn that will leave you feeling confident and strong. 

Coach Nicolette

a black and white image of a woman looking into the camera intently and smiling

I #ChooseToChallenge every expectation set by others about my body and the bodies of all women. Like many women, I struggled with horrible body image and a strained relationship with food for many years. These struggles are all too common, but they forced me to find a deep strength within that I didn’t even know existed. 

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you: 

Seeing my clients discover and feel the strength they have within moves me deeply. When I see their faces after doing something they never dreamed they could or worked hard to achieve, that is where I draw inspiration. 

We are all so much stronger than we give ourselves credit for, and as a coach, I’m here to help show you what your strength looks and feels like.

Coach Nicolette

Here are two workouts that make Coach Nicolette feel strong: 

  • Smart Flex Blast: I love this workout because it challenges the body and mind. The fast pace and minimal breaks, powerful moves, and Smart Flex make it the perfect full-body sweat. In only 40 minutes, you will feel strong and ready for what the day throws at you. 
  • Hips + Back + Core Mobility: As a postural specialist, I analyze the spine’s position and its influence on how the body functions. This workout addresses common tight and inflamed areas of the body that cause discomfort. This combination of strength, stretching, and mobility is perfect before a workout to set yourself up for success, after a workout to reset, or on a rest day.

Coach Natalie

a black and white image of a woman raising both her arms in the air

The last few years have been a wake-up call for me, and I’ve realized how important it is to think for myself and make decisions based on my own values. I currently #ChooseToChallenge the image of what a healthy body can look like. I #ChooseToChallenge the unconscious bias built into so much of our culture, and I #ChooseToChallenge myself to speak up.  

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you: 

I am inspired when I see other women unapologetically being themselves and speaking up for themselves and others.  

Here are two workouts that make Coach Natalie feel strong: 

  • Fun & Fit: This beginner workout challenges you to test your strength and reminds you to love yourself as you are. 
  • HIIT It Hard: This total body workout will give you a chance to channel your energy to reach new heights and build your strength.

Coach Frances

a black and white image of a woman smiling with the sea behind her

I #ChooseToChallenge us never to take our voices, our talents, our wants, and our needs for granted. As women, we can create and accomplish anything and everything that we set our minds to. I choose to let go of society’s expectations and any inner dialogue that we were told to follow or anything that triggers feelings of not being enough. Choose to listen to your authentic voice so that we can all step into our power every single day. 

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you: 

Nobody can do anything alone. Believe me — I’ve tried! We are stronger together. We all have different purposes and talents, and by coming together, we can be stronger and more successful. No matter our backgrounds or setbacks, we are all queens in the making. 

We learn new things about ourselves when we support each other — this will make us a team of powerful women who can accomplish anything and inspire others to do the same. 

Coach Frances

Here are two workouts that make Coach Frances feel strong: 

  • The Art of Flow: In this yoga flow, I break down the concept of connecting breath to movement, which helps us turn our yoga practice into a moving meditation, taking us beyond the physical benefits. Stepping onto the yoga mat for the first time can feel intimidating, and this flow will give you the tools needed to feel great every time you do that. 
  • Barre Blast: When it comes to my health journey, I’m all about balance. Incorporating barre alongside strength training and yoga helps me find a balance that feels good. Barre teaches us to work stabilizer muscles that make us stronger for heavy lifts on Tonal, and this workout will give you the confidence to do that. 

Coach Liz

a black and white image of a woman throwing her back and laughing

I choose to #ChooseToChallenge that powerful women have to look or act any particular way. Each of us has our own unique strengths, and when we harness them, we can truly step into our power and encourage everyone around us to do the same. 

What inspires you to feel your strongest and lift the women around you: 

When I approach a situation with curiosity and an open heart, I am able to speak and act from a place of strength and confidence. When I am in my power, it invites other women to be in their power. 

Here are two workouts that make Coach Liz feel strong: 

  • Back Relief: When we are in pain, we often seek out others to help us work through the discomfort without realizing that we have an incredible capacity to heal ourselves. In Back Relief, I help you discover the root causes of any back discomfort while helping you feel strong and supported. 
  • Full Body Blast: This is a tough, full-body workout that always gets my heart pumping. I created this workout to get you moving and sweating and to release any stuck energy so that you can face your day with strength and confidence. 

Here’s to lifting each other and being our strongest together.


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